(Public Pack)Agenda Document for Development Panel, 22/03/2016 13
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to Friday 11 March 2016 Development Panel Will meet on Tuesday 22 March 2016 at 1.00 pm in Council Chamber - Allerdale House Membership: Councillor Peter Bales (Chairman) Councillor Carole Armstrong Councillor Nicky Cockburn Councillor Adrian Davis-Johnston Councillor Janet Farebrother Councillor Malcolm Grainger Councillor Margaret Jackson Councillor Mark Jenkinson Councillor Billy Miskelly Councillor Ron Munby Councillor Jim Osborn Councillor Bill Pegram Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting. If you have any questions or queries contact Dean Devine on 01900 702556. The following site visits will take place: 2/2015/0620: Development of a Solar Farm with Ancillary Infrastructure - Proposed Solar Farm, Land West of Westnewton, Cumbria 2/2016/0044: Retrospective Application for the Erection of an Unlocked Gate at New Street Leading Onto Housing Estate - Resubmission, Former Gas Holder Site, New Street, Cockermouth 2/2016/0046: Retrospective Application for the Erection of an Unlocked Gate at Derwent Street Leading Onto Housing Estate - Resubmission, Former Highways Depot, Derwent Street, Cockermouth 2/2016/0023: Erection of Detached House (Resubmission of 2/2015/0466) - Land Adjacent to Westnewton Hall, Westnewton, Aspatria 2/2016/0001: Alteration and Extension to Form Additional Bedroom, Bathroom and Study/Office - 49, The Mount, Papcastle, Cockermouth Members of the Development Panel will be picked up from Allerdale House, Workington and the bus will leave at 9.00 am prompt. Agenda 1. Apologies for Absence 2. Declaration of Interests Councillors/Staff to give notice of any disclosable pecuniary interest, other registrable interest or any other interest and the nature of that interest relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the adopted Code of Conduct. 3. Questions To answer questions from members of the public – submitted in writing or by electronic mail no later than 5.00pm, 2 working days before the meeting. 4. 2/2015/0620: Development of a Solar Farm with Ancillary Infrastructure - Proposed Solar Farm, Land West of Westnewton, Cumbria (Pages 1 - 34) 5. 2/2016/0044: Retrospective Application for the Erection of an Unlocked Gate at New Street Leading Onto Housing Estate - Resubmission, Former Gas Holder Site, New Street, Cockermouth (Pages 35 - 40) 6. 2/2016/0046: Retrospective Application for the Erection of an Unlocked Gate at Derwent Street Leading Onto Housing Estate - Resubmission, Former Highways Depot, Derwent Street, Cockermouth (Pages 41 - 46) 7. 2/2016/0001: Alteration and Extension to Form Additional Bedroom, Bathroom and Study/Office - 49, The Mount, Papcastle, Cockermouth (Pages 47 - 54) 8. 2/2015/0654: New Dwelling - Land at Dearham Row, Dearham, Maryport (Pages 55 - 64) 9. 2/2015/0761: Demolition of Existing Dwelling and Workshops and Erection of Two Detached Dwellings - Fair View, Winscales, Workington (Pages 65 - 74) 10. 2/2016/0023: Erection of Detached House (Resubmission of 2/2015/0466) - Land Adjacent to Westnewton Hall, Westnewton, Aspatria (Pages 75 - 86) Chief Executive Date of Next Meeting Tuesday 12 April 2016 at 1.00 pm Council Chamber - Allerdale House This page is intentionally left blank Agenda Item 4 Allerdale Borough Council Planning Application 2/2015/0620 Proposed Development of a Solar Farm with ancillary infrastructure Development: Location: Proposed Solar Farm Land West of Westnewton Recommendation: REFUSE Summary/Key Issues Issue Conclusion Amenity of local The proposed is unlikely to have a significant adverse impact on residents residential amenity in terms of construction. Visual impact and It is considered the likely effects of the solar farm development impact on the have been under-assessed by the applicant. The proposed solar surrounding farm would lead to some significant adverse effects on local rural landscape character, both within the site and in the surrounding local area. This would be due to the extensive industrial character and appearance of the solar farm which would be in marked contrast to the ‘natural’ and largely undeveloped qualities of the surrounding agricultural landscape. Proposals for planting excessive numbers of field hedgerow trees would also be out of keeping with local character. There would also be changes in existing views of the landscape, including views towards the Solway Coast AONB that would adversely affect the visual amenity of some local residents and visitors using local roads and rights-of-way. Assessment of The solar farm proposed would inevitably add to the existing Cumulative energy infrastructure features in the local landscape. In the Effects absence of an appropriate cumulative study officers are unable to determine what aspect the proposed solar farm will have on the local landscape in terms of cumulative impact. Access and The existing access points will be utilised (with alteration) to enter operational the solar farm. The detail within the Construction Management requirements Traffic Plan which includes the use of a Banksman to assist with manoeuvring is considered acceptable and the proposal will not result in an unacceptable impact on the highway conditions. The site will be linked to a substation at Aspatria. Impact on nature The applicant has adequately addressed the ecology issues conservation sites associated with the development and officers consider the and species proposal will not have an unacceptable impact on ecological issues. Page 1 Impact on heritage An Archaeology & Cultural Heritage assessment has been assets and their submitted and the archaeological issues can be dealt with by setting condition. The applicant has adequately addressed the heritage assets potentially impacted by the development and officers consider the proposal will not have an unacceptable impact on any of these assets. Temporary loss of Officers consider the applicant has not provided a clear justification BMV agricultural for the loss of best and most versatile agricultural land. land Potential benefits The site enables significant benefits in terms of generating electricity and cutting climate change emissions. Decommissioning The site will be decommissioned after 25 years. The restoration of the site will be the subject of a planning condition. Flood Risk An acceptable flood risk/surface water management plan has been proposed for the site. Proposal The application seeks permission for a series of ground mounted solar arrays (angled at 25 degrees and with a finished height of circa 3m) incorporating approximately 33,216 solar panels arranged in rows running east to west across the site and spaced 8m apart (from the back of one bank to the front of the panel running parallel to it). The panels would be made from toughened glass with a matt finish. The site also includes 2 inverter and transformer buildings painted olive green, one station (6.96m long x 2.56m wide x 3.45m high) in the northern field and another larger station (11.66m long x 2.56m wide x 3.45m high) in the southern field. A substation/DNO switchgear building (6.5m x 2.5m wide by 3.3m high) also in olive green, is to be located in the south-east corner of the site, close to the public highway within a concrete access and parking area. Security fencing to a height of 2.3m is proposed around the site with CCTV camera supports at a height of 2.5m upon which CCTV units will be installed at 50m intervals along the fence line Associated parking and maintenance area is to be located in the south east corner of the site with three new gated site entrances created and internal site access roads. Underground electrical cabling will be carried out connecting the arrays with the inverters. The permission is requested for a temporary period of 25 years, during which time the applicant advises the site will continue to be used for sheep grazing before being fully returned to agricultural use following the removal of the solar modules. The proposal includes the development of a 5MW Solar Park (for export to the local grid, in this case the existing sub-station in Aspatria). The applicant states that the proposed development will generate enough energy to power approximately 1,041 homes and will reduce the amount of CO2 produced when compared to fossil fuels by approximately 1,451 tonnes per annum. Page 2 The proposed solar panels are designed to convert light into electrical current and rely on daylight rather than sunlight. The direct current (DC) generated is then converted to alternating current (AC) by invertors and the AC energy is transferred to the grid network via a substation. Site The Solar Farm is to be located on farmland 0.85km to the west of the village of Westnewton, 3km north-west of Aspatria and 3.7km east of Allonby on the coast. The closest individual properties to the site are Westgarth 350m to the east, Newton Outfield Farm 400m to the west, Lord’s Close 550m to the west and Aiglegill Farm 900m to the south. The application site covers a total area of 13.65 hectares. The solar farm proposal would be located within two rectilinear fields of grazing farmland that are orientated NNW – SSE in the landscape. They lie surrounded by other agricultural fields on the north side of a minor road (C2002) that leads between Westnewton and Allonby. A farm access track runs northward from the minor road parallel to but outside the eastern boundary of the field, but remains in the same ownership. The perimeters of the two fields are bounded by intermittent and tree-less hedges, generally on hedgebanks (known locally as kests) and with an overall height of approximately 1.5m – 3m. The hedges qualify as UK BAP priority habitats. The two fields are also separated by a further internal hedge on a hedgebank. This internal hedge sits on a low crest in the gently undulating topography, from which the northern field slopes down to the north (from approx. 24.5 AOD to approx.